Once upon a blue haired boy
by jruthy96
Summary: Because blue haired boys have all the fun...The childhood of Teddy
1. Chapter 1

He stared down at the red scrunched up face feeling entirely disappointed. His hair flashed from blue to blonde to Weasley red in his confusion.

"But you said she would be petty." 2 year old Teddy Lupin looked up at his godfather accusingly.

"Pretty." Harry corrected gently. "And she is." Fleur smiled at him tiredly from her bed.

"No she's not. She grumpy." Teddy screwed up his face to show the adults what the new baby looked like. Ron snorted in amusement and Bill threw him a murderous look.

"Well all babies tend to look like that at first..." Harry said desperately in attempt to keep Teddy quiet. But this was Teddy Lupin and he always had the last say.

"So all babies ugly?" Teddy asked inquisitively. Harry sighed.


	2. Chapter 2

Teddy wandered happily around the house which Harry and Ginny had just moved into. At five years old he felt it was important he told them his opinion.

"I like the garden. And when I stay can I have the big room?" He beamed angelically up at Ginny turning his hair blonde. Ginny smiled slightly.

"Do you want to go out into the garden before Harry gets home?"

"Yes please." He slipped his tiny hand into Ginny's and not for the first time, Ginny felt guilt surge through her. Tonks had never felt five year old Teddy hold her hand. And for hours they pottered round the garden, not doing much nor, in Ginny's case, saying much but that suited them both.

"Could Vic come here one day? She loves flowers like that."

"Of course she can, Teddy."

"Would mummy and daddy like this house?"

Ginny paused. She looked critically down at the neat garden and back up to the stone cottage. "It's probably a bit too neat for your mum but I think your daddy would have loved it."

"That's good. Was I a bad baby?"

"What do you mean?"

Teddy crouched down by a pile of fallen autumn leaves. He picked one up, examined the colour and placed it on his head. His hair changed colour to match it perfectly. He giggled happily as he tugged at his auburn locks. "Vic is a good baby and everyone loves her. Was I bad?"

"Teddy. Look at me." His large light brown eyes found her golden hazel ones. "Your mummy and daddy loved you so very much. So does your grandma and Grandma Molly and Grandpa Weasley and Harry and me. Don't you every forget that."

Teddy nodded slightly and Ginny thought he might stay still for a moment.

"HARRY!" Teddy stormed inside dragging mud through the newly cleaned house.


	3. Chapter 3

"Now Vic you just stay there, don't move."

"TEDDY LUPIN, WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING?" Grandma Molly's loud voice echoed throughout the burrow. Harry and Ron, a safe distance away, chuckled. A three year old Victoire looked up surprised.

"Teddy's trying to make able to change my hair too!" She explained brightly. Teddy clutching Bill's wand nodded. "I want blue hair too."

"But your hair is lovely." Molly said weakly. She was getting too old for this. "Teddy have you got a wand?" She asked sharply.

"No." Teddy said quickly stuffing his wand behind his back and changing his blue hair to blonde. Molly narrowed her eyes.

"Show me your hands." Teddy spread his hands and indeed they were empty. Victoire now clutched a wand tightly behind her back.


	4. Chapter 4

6 year old Teddy sat quietly at the Potter's kitchen table colouring a picture of a hippogriff. A very pregnant Ginny and Harry shared a look. Teddy was never quiet.

"Hey Ted." Harry had dropped into the seat next to him. "What's wrong?"

"Do you like my hippogriff? I'm going to call it...Boris." Teddy nodded decisively.

"That's a good name for a hippogriff." Harry tried to smooth Teddy's hair which was a copy of Harry's today. "Has something been bothering you?"

Teddy put his colouring pens down and stared up at Harry with identical green eyes. "Will the new baby be nice?"

"Of course it will. Teddy, you're not worried are you?" Harry suddenly guessed the source of Teddy's new angst.

"What if it's nicer than me?"

"Ted. About the new baby, it might seem it's getting more attention than you but that's because it's only a tiny baby. You know what Dom and Molly are like, how Vic was like? It doesn't mean we love you any less, ok?"

"Ok."

"Ok?"

"Can I name it?"

Harry looked from his smiling mini me to the Boris the hippogriff on the piece of paper.


	5. Chapter 5

"That's my new brother." Vic whispered to the taller purple haired boy next to her. They both squinted down at him. "He's not very cute."

"Babies aren't." Teddy whispered back conspiratorially. They were going ignored by the adult who were cooing over Louis, the latest addition to the Weasley/Potter clan. James, Fred, Roxanne, Albus, Dom and Rose were thoroughly disappointed from their lack of attention. Molly looked near tears as her own pregnant mother and father flocked to the new baby. Vic and Teddy however had seen so many new additions they were used to it.

"I bet I was." Vic said confidently

"Nope." Teddy shook his head.

"That's really mean." Vic frowned up at her best friend.

"It's true."

"Is not."

"Is too."

"Is not." Vic raised her voice slightly.

"IS TOO!" All the adults looked up. Baby Louis started to cry. Teddy sighed and went to sit on the naughty step, he never needed telling.


	6. Chapter 6

"Why don't I just ask if you can come along too?"

"What? Write her letter?"

"Yeah!"

Ginny passed Teddy and Vic chattering in the kitchen carrying Lily. She smiled slightly as she overheard their conversation. For days the two of them had been planning how to survive Teddy going to Hogwarts in September. Ginny reckoned those two hadn't gone two days without seeing each other in their lives.

"Aunty Gin?" Vic had seen Ginny. "Will that work?"

"I don't think so sweetie, you're going to have wait I'm afraid. You can always write to each other." The children's faces fell. "You know two years can go quickly. I used to hate when my brothers went to Hogwarts before I could go but before I knew it, it was my turn."

"But I don't want to go if Vic isn't going."

Before Ginny could answer him, Albus came running through the kitchen covered in mud and bawling his eyes out. James followed him.

"I didn't know he would fall over, mummy. Teddy said he would be fine." James explained as Ginny began to hush Al.

Teddy legged it out the kitchen before Ginny could even say his name. Victoire smiled angelically up at her.


	7. Chapter 7

Today was doomsday. Teddy was heading to Hogwarts without his best friend. He would've cried but he knew aged 11 it wasn't right. Ginny hugged him tightly, kissing cheek.

"I will see you at Christmas. You'll be fine. We'll write." She whispered into his ear. Harry ruffled his hair.

"C'mon." Harry knelt down in front him. "Teddy I know it's hard leaving Vic behind but enjoy yourself. And try not to get into too much trouble."

"What like you then?" Teddy replied cheekily. Harry laughed glad to see his godson joking around.

"We're going to miss you." Teddy didn't trust himself to reply so instead hugged his godfather.

"Bye James, bye Al!" He waved to them and they waved clumsily back. Teddy dropped a quick kiss on sleeping Lily's cheek, permitted a sloppy kiss from both his grandmothers and gave a quick wave to all the Weasleys.

"Have fun Teddy." Victoire had burst out of the group and wrapped her skinny arms around him. "You better miss me." She said fiercely poking him hard in the ribs.

"Of course. You're my best friend."

Teddy headed to the train, tripped on his own foot and looked back grinning, his turquoise brightening as he stepped onto the Hogwarts Express.


	8. Love Teddy

_Dear Vic, _

_I'm in Gryffindor! The hat almost put me in Hufflepuff but then decided I was too much like you Weasleys, I'm blaming you! It's amazing here and the boys in my dorm are nice. They think my hair is cool. The lessons were hard today but when you get here I bet you'll find them easy. I wish you were here, it would so much better. _

_Love_

_Teddy _

_Dear Vic,_

_Hey, I am nice enough for Hufflepuff thank you very much! Of course my hair is blue, it's always blue though you should've seen it yesterday; I turned it bright purple! I didn't even know I could do that. Vic, you're the cleverest person I know plus remember that time we stole Percy's wand and you actually got it to do a spell and all I could managed was for it pour out smoke? You're going to be fine when you do come. _

_Love _

_Teddy_

_Dear Vic, _

_I FOUND THE KITCHENS! Hermione would go mad at the sight of all the house elves though. I got in trouble today though, not serious trouble. The caretaker caught me out of bed at night but don't worry I'm ok. Ginny must've murdered James, is Rose ok? Hope Louis doesn't throw up on you again._

_Love Teddy_

_Dear Vic, _

_It's weird being back again after spending all summer with you. The fireworks were amazing and none of the teachers could work out who did it! Can you tell George? I tried flying again; I swear I'm getting better, I only fell off once. I'm sure Dom will love a pygmy puff, tell her happy birthday from me!_

_Love Teddy _

_Dear Vic, _

_Harry just wrote me a letter asking me if I have the cloak, I bet James and Fred have taken it again. That's probably how they've been sneaking canary custards into Grandma Molly's food._

_Neville showed me the war memorial today and I could see my parent's names on it. I think its good they're remembered, they sound like they were really cool people. I wish I could've known them. _

_Love Teddy _

_Dear Vic,_

_I'm in huge trouble, like really, really big. I shouted at my DADA professor and I shouted really loud. My hair even turned red. He was going on and on about how horrible werewolves were and so I told him, very politely, that not all of them were and he said they were and I said they weren't. Anyway it went on and on and on until I just yelled at him that he was a rubbish professor. Don't worry though I already wrote to Harry and Ginny and they said that Harry did the same thing in school lots so he couldn't get cross at me. Gran's not happy. Nor is McGonagall. _

_Love Teddy_

_Dear Vic, _

_Nearly home for summer now! Can't wait to see you again and just think in September you'll be coming with me this time. I can't believe you tried the parrot punch without me, seriously not cool Vic. Did it really work that well? Bill must've been so angry...after he stopped being a parrot of course! Of course I'll teach you to fly but I'm not that good. Harry said it didn't matter but it would've been nice not to end up in the hospital wing after only catching the quaffle. _

_Love Teddy_


	9. Chapter 9

The sun beat down on them; the slight turquoise haired boy, slender blonde girl and a scruffy brown haired boy all facing a spindly group of brooms on the bright green grass.

"And just say up." Teddy held out his hand and said confidently. "UP." The broom rose and knocked him on the nose. "Ow..."

"Up." Vic copied kindly ignoring Teddy's mishap. The broom stirred weakly on the ground. James giggled but was stilled by a look from Teddy. "Maybe I'm just not a flyer." She sighed dramatically. Vic hated not being able to do something. James picked up a broom and looked at it with interest.

"Don't worry. No one's allowed to make the team anyway in first year."

"That's true." Vic's jaw set determinedly. "I'm going to try once more."

She raised a hand over the broom. "UP."

It flew into her hands and she beamed up at Teddy. Teddy's hair turned bright purple.

"IF JAMES IS EVEN NEAR A BROOM, SO HELP YOU TEDDY LUPIN!" A voice bellowed from inside. Both Vic and Teddy turned to where they had last seen James. He had vanished.

As Vic and Teddy searched desperately around the garden praying Ginny wouldn't come out just yet, a little dark figure zoomed higher and higher into the sky.


	10. Chapter 10

"Are you nervous?"

Vic and Teddy had finally pulled themselves away from their families after the hefty goodbyes. They trundled along the moving train in an effort to find a compartment.

"Of course not." Vic tossed her hair. Teddy's eyebrow's disappeared into his dirty blonde hair. "Ok. A little bit, not a...lot." She trailed off paling slightly at the sight of some rowdy boys. They waved to Teddy who waved back happily.

"You'll be fine." Teddy heaved open a compartment door still facing Vic. "C'mon, these are my friends."

He motioned to the group clustered in the compartment, his hair turning blue at the excitement of seeing them all again. Vic nodded sadly trying to smile. She had been stupid to expect that Teddy would be her friend, and her friend only, at Hogwarts.


	11. Chapter 11

Teddy strolled down the packed corridor alone. He had friends, quite a lot, but he was happy to be by himself. Like his father he only needed the company of a few. A whirlwind of blond hurried up towards him.

"I'm chaser!" Vic huffed breathlessly. "I made the team, isn't that great?"

"Wow! Well done Vic." He gave her a quick hug.

"Thanks. Anyway I'm going to head off to..."

"The library." He finished for her grinning. "You know you really don't help your house stereotype, Ravenclaw."

"Neither do you, Gryffindor." Vic laughed as he turned his hair bright gold. She bounced off leaving Teddy alone.

He wasn't jealous. Jealously wasn't really his thing. He just wished he could've made the team in his second year, like Vic has, rather than being constantly rejected. He had tried just as hard as her. He watched her blond head float away. Ok, he was quite a bit jealous.


	12. Chapter 12

Teddy paused at the sight of the black haired boy pouring over an open book. Albus had suddenly taken to reading everything he could lay his hands on. Teddy sat in the armchair next to him.

"You alright, Albie?"

"Huh?" Albus looked up from his book, his eyes looking muddled. He shut the book wearily, his little hands barely managing to hold onto the edges. Teddy had to remind himself that at 8 years old Albus wasn't all that little anymore. "I'm fine."

"You've been reading a lot lately."

Albus hesitated anxiously and Teddy changed his hair to a bright red, Albus's favourite. Albus sighed heavily.

"I know. It's just James is funny and everyone expects me to be the clever."

"You are funny too. And clever, cleverer than me anyway."

"Don't be silly Teddy, you're older than me." Albus said with the frankness only an 8 year old can show. "I want to be noticed too." He jutted out his chin and looked defiantly up at Teddy.

Teddy had watched all these next generation kids grow up burdened with the reputation of their parents. The thing was they weren't their parents. Teddy guessed he had that problem too and no doubt would forever.

"You are noticed, Albie. For being Albus Severus Potter."

Albus leaned back into the squishy armchair and let out a great breathe.

"I do have a funny name, don't I?"

Teddy laughed and laughed as his hair turned bright blue.


	13. Chapter 13

"What do you want for your birthday?"

"And don't say nothing."

Harry and Ginny Potter watched Teddy severely over the breakfast table. Lily regarded them with a faint interest, more focused on trying to feed the cat, Spencer.

"I don't mind. Don't be going to any trouble." Teddy said taking a huge bite of toast. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"What did I tell you, Harry?"

"Teddy," Harry said ignoring Ginny who went back to her newspaper. "It's no trouble, we've..."

"We've been helping to raise you for however many years; a birthday is not that difficult. We want to help you celebrate, you're essentially our son. If you think we're not going to do something special for your 17th then you're batty." Lily recited calmly from the floor where she was stroking Spencer. Teddy, Harry and Ginny all turned to look at her in surprise. "What? You've been having the same argument every year before his birthday."

"What?" Harry asked her confused.

"Oh I did make up the last bit obviously because he hasn't had his 17th birthday before." Lily added tucking a piece of fiery hair behind her ear absentmindedly.

Teddy chuckled softly as Harry and Ginny exchanged bewildered looks.


	14. Chapter 14

"You do know my birthday was a week ago, right?"

"Shut up and close your eyes."

Vic was leading him outside and over to the beach that lay just beyond the borders of Shell Cottage. He grinned. The air had a slight chill to it and he was glad he has thought to put on a jumper. With Vic, you never can be too sure what were going to happen.

"And open." She sounded smug and pleased with herself. He opened his eyes slowly.

"You brought me here to show me the sunset?" Teddy asked sceptically.

"Yes." She sat down on the grainy sand and sighed happily.

"But it's..." He started to say.

"Shhh. Don't speak and just watch."

Teddy sat down heavily next to her and looked towards the sky. At first he could see the normal blur of pink and blue. And then he looked closer, forgetting Vic was even beside him, and saw oranges and purples and greens and turquoise and yellows and even a tiny splash of the faintest gold etched across the navy blue of the sea.

"It's beautiful." He whispered softly.


	15. Chapter 15

"You are kidding me?"

Teddy stared blankly at Vic opposite him who was trying to casually cut up her toast. She refused to meet his gaze.

"No why would I be kidding?" Vic pushed back her hair self consciously.

"C'mon, I mean Vasely? He's a..." But Teddy broke off and leaned back from the table as a stocky, dark hared boy sat next to his best friend. His hair turned an odd mauve colour. The boy, Vasely, kissed Vic. Teddy looked away.

"Good morning. I think you get more beautiful every single day." Vasely said all in one breathe gazing at her face. Vic blushed and Teddy snorted into his sugary porridge. "I could never deserve you."

Teddy rolled his eyes turning away from the couple to study his timetable intently. He had charms first. That was good, he liked charms.

"Teddy." Vic hissed angrily a few moments later. Teddy looked up to see her "boyfriend" gone and Vic looking furious. Uh oh, he thought. "You were so rude."

"Vic, he's an idiot. We've agreed that the whole "you're so beautiful" every single second is just stupid. We know you're beautiful. You're part vela." He stashed his timetable into his bag and rose to his feet hoping she would drop it but Vic was looking murderous.

"So you think I'm only beautiful because I'm part vela?"

Teddy gulped nervously knowing he had to tread carefully. "Vic that's not what..."

"Don't even try Teddy Lupin. Someone likes me for who I am and you can't deal with that." She snatched up her bag and looked back viciously over her shoulder. "I am quite capable of looking after myself and choosing my own boyfriends, thank you very much." And she stormed off leaving Teddy feeling helpless.

"Vic I've known you since you were a baby..." He called after her weakly. "And I do think you're beautiful."

Because of course Teddy always had to have the last word.


	16. Chapter 16

Teddy was exhausted. He lay on the Potter's sofa his mind reeling with all the information about healing he had absorbed today. Spencer the cat rested gently on his stretched out stomach moving softly with his breathing.

"TEDDY!" squealed a high pitch voice. Teddy groaned. Lily entered the lounge grinning from ear to ear clutching a large box. "Mummy said you would help me with my puzzle."

"Did she?" Teddy raised an eyebrow suspiciously. He heard Ginny cackle from the kitchen. He sighed and sat down on the plush carpet next to Lily causing Spencer to hiss unhappily. He tucked a piece of bright red hair behind her ear and turned his own red to match. She giggled and tugged one of his fiery strands.

"Do you see a lot of blood at work?"

"No not really, I've only just started so I get the basic stuff." Teddy answered helping Lily join two pieces of the puzzle. The pictures in them kept trying to leave.

"Would you be able to look after me if I was hurt?" She asked shaking a finger at the figures that kept running away.

"You're not going to get hurt but yes I could." Teddy moved a large china flowerpot further away from Lily's range.

"Why did Vic tell me not to tell you that she had broken up with her boyfriend?" Lily asked innocently now hitting the occupants of the puzzle piece.

"What?" Teddy asked sitting right up. "She's broken up with him?"

"Mmmh," Lily said nodding. "Because he's too clingy. What does clingy mean?"

"It means he's an idiot." Teddy said with feeling.

"Oh. Can I tell Vic that?"

"If you want me to be murdered, then go ahead." Teddy said grimly. Lily gulped.


	17. Chapter 17

Harry stopped at the sight of his godson hunched on the garden bench. His hair, a dark brown, was plastered to his pale skin. Harry pulled open the door and braved the downpour.

"You're getting soaked out here, Ted."

Teddy flicked his head up only slightly. Harry sat down next to him, already drench to the skin.

"Is it stupid I still miss them?"

Teddy has spoken to faintly Harry had only just caught the question. "Of course not, they are your parents. I still miss mine and I'm going grey."

Teddy smiled a little. "I sound so ungrateful. You and Gin have done so much for me and I just mope about my parents."

"Teddy Lupin you are being an idiot. And you're not moping. Your parents would be insanely proud of you."

"Everyone says that. What does that mean?" Teddy asked frustrated. Harry paused to brush rain water out his eyes.

"It means that when you managed to ace all your OWLs and get the prefect badge, your dad would've boasted to everyone about it for years. It means that when you didn't make it onto the quidditch team, your mum would still have said that you're the best. It means that when you left Hogwarts, they would've been crying openly and incredibly embarrassingly in the front row. It means they would've cooked a fancy meal for when you got into healer training. It means their hearts would have just about burst with happiness seeing you become a Healer."

"But they didn't. They weren't there. They're dead." Teddy's voice rang out loudly.

"Tonks and Remus Lupin love you."

"Can you tell me about them?" Teddy's voice was quieter again, softer. And so he and Harry sat in the pouring rain recounting the lives of Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin.


	18. Chapter 18

They walked in silence trailing behind their families. The steam billowed out from the train and figures would seem to appear out of nowhere. Teddy and Vic stopped as their families kept moving on.

"It's so strange going without you." Vic said sadly.

"I had to go without you as well back when we were younger." Teddy said nudging her arm gently. Vic smiled reluctantly. "Merlin, we're all so old now."

"You are. I'm still at school."

"Only just, this is your last year." He countered.

"So what words of wisdom do you have to bestow on me for my last year?" Vic asked cocking her head, laughing. It had become custom for Teddy to give Vic advice on how to survive the particular year she was going in to. Teddy hesitated and bit his lip.

"None. I think I'm just going to kiss you now."

She beamed up at him looking more beautiful than ever, surrounded by steam and her slightly freckled face ever so close to him. Merlin, he loved her.

He had to be the luckiest man alive, Teddy Lupin decided.


End file.
